Steve Kraske

Host of Up to Date

Steve Kraske is an associate teaching professor of journalism at UMKC and has hosted "Up to Date" since 2002. He worked as political correspondent for The Kansas City Star from 1994-2013 covering national, state and local campaigns. He also has covered the statehouses in Topeka and Jefferson City. From 2013-2016, he was a part-time columnist for The Star; he now serves on the newspaper's editorial board.

Before arriving in Kansas City, he worked at daily newspapers in Iowa and Illinois and at United Press International in Madison, Wisconsin. Kraske is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he received a bachelor's degree in journalism. He was a 1992 John S. Knight Journalism Fellow at Stanford University.

Kraske has won awards for both his print and radio work and has appeared on NPR, CNN and Fox. He's a big fan of "Prairie Home Companion" and Kansas City jazz. His father lives in Stillwater, Minn., not far from the St. Croix River.

From Mexico to Montreal, the migration of the monarch butterfly is truly Odyssean in nature. Today, we visit with a Kansas City cyclist who is pedaling the butterflies' 10,000-mile voyage to raise awareness for their declining population. Then, we hear stories of America's deported veterans and learn how the practice is affecting the families and communities expelled service members leave behind.

This is the final season for the popular Netflix series Longmire, but not for the books that inspired it. Today, their author, Craig Johnson, reveals the inspiration for his latest novel about the fictional sheriff of Wyoming's Absaroka County, and relates what it felt like when his character came to life on screen. Then, learn what a Prairie Village husband and wife team did when their passion for amassing memorabilia about Kansas City left them with a collection too big to fit under one roof.

In a live broadcast from the Public Market in Lenexa's new City Center, we talk with officials about the 20-year odyssey to make real their community's vision for a new town square. Also, the vendors behind Frannie Franks Coffee Cakes and Red Kitchen Tamales share their start-up stories and explain why they've set up shop in the new development.

Despite decades of government assistance, violent crime continues in too many American neighborhoods. That's why Bob Woodson, founder of the Woodson Center, thinks the solution for troubled communities must come from local leaders themselves, not from the federal or state level.

For some, a belief in God and adherence to fact-based scientific research are mutually exclusive. That's not the case for Katherine Hayhoe, who's had remarkable success convincing evangelical Christians that climate change is caused largely by human activity. It could be because she's a conservative Christian herself.

With ice caps shrinking and global temperatures on the rise, animals who live in the Arctic Circle are at increasing risk. Today, we speak with two scientists from Polar Bears International who spent their summer in and around the Arctic studying the namesake animal of that organization. With less ice on which to hunt, will the iconic northern predator adapt in time to avoid extinction?

Recent controversy surrounding the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity has put Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach in the nation's limelight. Today, we get an update on the 4-month-old committee.

If you've ever worked with someone who had trouble following through, or dealt with a kid who's constantly pushing your buttons, you'll want to hear this conversation. Best-selling author and Kansas City native Gretchen Rubin says peoples' reactions to expectation influence their behavior in a big way.

For centuries, refugees from all over the world have taken to the seas to escape violence and persecution in their homelands. Today, the author of a children's book published this year recounts just a few of their stories. Then, we speak to the director and producer of a new film about Gertrude Bell, who's been called the most powerful woman in the British Empire during World War I.

Overland Park writer Jen Mann was inspired to create her People I Want to Punch in the Throat blog by, well, all the people she wants to punch in the throat. Today, we speak with the New York Times best-selling author about the latest installment in her snarky series, and about the people she's worked with who almost — almost! — forced her to fisticuffs.

The consequences of a death sentence most obviously affect the accused, but everyone involved in the case must deal with the decision's terminal implications. Today, we hear how a 1994 death sentence in Mississippi is affecting one juror's life decades later. Then, we explore how America's legacy of lynching still influences race relations in Missouri, Kansas and throughout the country.

After a long list of box office flops, this summer's blockbusters aren't looking so hot. But don't trade your cinephilia for cynicism yet, because there are still plenty of lesser-known flicks worth watching.

Lynn Novick has been making documentaries for more than two decades, most of them in collaboration with Ken Burns. Their latest project, The Vietnam War, is the subject of her conversation today with host Steve Kraske.

One of the top concerns for those with a newborn is sleep. Today, we talk with pediatric experts about strategies to help parents develop good sleep habits for their infant. We also discuss the science behind infant sleeping patterns and how to adjust your approach as the child grows older.

Summer is just about over and seasonal crops like zucchini, tomatoes and peppers are ripe for the picking. Today, Flint Hills resident and friend of the show Cindy Hoedel bravely attempts to teach host Steve Kraske the tricks and skills for cooking a proper ratatouille — without burning down the house! Then, we get an update on her life in the rural Flint Hills.

The American family unit these days is way more varied than in decades past. Whether you're in a same-sex relationship, part of a cohabitating couple, or a senior who's just not interested in marriage, financial planning can present unique obstacles. Today, the Smart Money Experts are back with advice for non-traditional couples. They also discuss the latest financial headlines, including the growth in U.S.

It's Friday and we're celebrating the end of the work week with a nice glass of wine and a live broadcast from Holy-Field Winery in Basehor, Kansas. Today, we speak with master sommelier Doug Frost and three vintners from Missouri and Kansas about what it takes to grow great grapes and make marvelous wine in the Midwest. It's not as easy as you might think!

After handing off the reins of A Prairie Home Companion, Garrison Keillor is back on the road. Today, we speak with the legendary radio personality about the Love & Comedy Tour that's taking him across the country and through the Paris of the Plains. Then, we learn the history of how mafiosos survived in Kansas City after the death of political mob boss Tom Pendergast.

The definition of an American family is no longer a man and his wife, living in suburbia with their 2.3 kids. Today, we learn about some of the economic forces reshaping families. Then, we explore the history of sandlot baseball in Kansas City, and find out how communities are trying to revive the tradition. Later, we discuss the controversy over Democratic Missouri Sen.

As the country prepared for the first total solar eclipse over the continental United States in decades, the Up To Date crew headed into the path of totality for a live broadcast from Parkville, Missouri, and the campus of Park University. We founnd out why scientists, students, and historians were excited about the celestial event.

Few chemical reactions are as complicated to humans the one that elicits the feeling of love. Today, we learn about a psychobiological approach to couples therapy. Then, we discuss how racial tensions have changed in America during the Trump administration, and find out how last weekend's tragedy in Charlottesville, Virginia, has affected leaders of Kansas City's diverse communities.

Birds, bees, fish, and all sorts of other animals exponentially expand their intelligence and abilities when they cluster together in swarms. Can humans do the same? Today, we find out how researchers are harnessing the benefits of the hive mind to create smarter, safer artificial intelligence.

Adam Foss, a former assistant district attorney in Suffolk County, Mass., says today's justice system is the same as the one created hundreds of years ago, and it's failing a lot of people. Today, a conversation on how prosecutors can help fix the criminal justice system. Then, we get caught up on the state of organized labor in Missouri and the status of the

Does work have you feeling stressed out, or maybe it's politics or something in your personal life? Today, we explore two approaches to understanding and moving past those frustrations. First, we learn a little about how mindfulness meditation can help quiet your mind and bring about a new consciousness. Then, we find out how "traditional" family roles for mothers and fathers might be introducing tension into romantic relationships and parenthood.

Tensions over the Jackson County jail continue to mount. Attorneys for former inmates filed a class-action lawsuit last week that would force authorities to address the detention center's dangerous, dirty conditions. Today, we speak with two Jackson County legislators about what they'd do to improve the facility. Then, we kick off a week full of conversation with presenters from this year's TEDxKC.

From a targeted shooting in Olathe to the president's so-called "travel ban," tensions over race, culture and religion are high. Today, we delve into two experiences in the Muslim community and learn what living in Trump's America has been like for Islamic people.

As summer wanes, students and teachers across all metro districts are getting ready for a new school year, but the challenges faced by teachers in urban settings can differ greatly from their suburban colleagues. Today, we speak with educators from both sides of the state line to learn about the rigors and rewards of teaching in the inner-city.